Saturday, I stopped in at a local motorcycle gear store that I really like. They’re an independent retailer/repair shop that provides terrific service. They’ve begun selling start-up Kymco scooters and motorcycles.

2008 Kymco Venox

Against a far wall, they’ve got I admit a pretty nice looking cruiser model, the Venox. It’s a 250cc ride, and I like its styling, for what it is. (Disclosure: Cruisers are quite nice to look at, but I don’t want one, I prefer a more up-alert riding position. I have a La-Z-Boy in my living room, when I ride a motorcycle, I don’t want to recline and kick back.) Kymco did a pretty good job on it, at least its aesthetics. These pics were taken using my outdated cell phone camera.

Well, not so fast… emblazoned in huge font is a sticker… Made In Taiwan.

Really, Kymco? You think that’s a great idea? Is that gonna be a selling point, to have a sticker plunked right dead center on the gas tank?

Pros: Good looks with cheap thrills

Cons: Some bad cosmetic features like the exhaust and outdated technology

Suzuki Marauder 125

The Suzuki Boulevard is by far one of my favourite bikes to ride. It has the looks, great styling, it sounds good and it’s cheap on petrol. What more could a motorcyclist actually want from their bike? I have a Boulevard 125 build in the new millennium and I love it.

Okay, let’s start with the basics. First off, the handling is good. As with most cruiser style bikes, anyone on the big side of six foot should steer clear but anything under that you should be okay. This is because when you turn a corner you must lean and slightly pop that knee out if you’re tall. You get used to this and it’s a cool look as you lean around a bend at medium revs before gunning it.

The seat is comfortable enough for long journeys. Speaking of long journeys, the Boulevard is the perfect machine to throw a couple of side bags on and head for the road. The big fat tyre can sure take some punishment and is great for traction even when there is a light load on the back.

The tank is an okay size. It could be bigger but then gain, because this is a bike from Japan it won’t be drinking up to much fuel. The fat tins on the bike look great over the chunky tyres and have a kind of old-style look to them.
The exhaust pipe could be better. It seems to just poke out there instead of working with the bike and slinging it back like everything else. Lucky for the Boulevard, the handlebars and mirrors really give it that racy look while still being a cool, flowing ride by far making up for that matchstick exhaust.

The reliability of the Boulevard is excellent. The engine is sound and it will just keep on running for thousands of miles. At worst, you may experience some clutch trouble but that is to be expected of a bike from this era when motorcycle gearbox technology was nowhere near as advanced as that in cars.
For a good condition Boulevard from the 1990s you can expect to pay somewhere in the region of $2,500 to $3,000. However, for those of you who enjoy restoring and repairing old motorcycles you can get one for restoration that will shine up nice for under $1,000.
In summary, this is good bike. While it’s nowhere near the greatest bike it is one of my favourite because it offers something that motorcycle enthusiasts search for since their first time on  bike; cheap thrills.

The writer of this motorcycle review earned $15, and so can you!

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2002 Yamaha Virago 250 Review

Years Available: 1981-2007

Pros: Great looks and a good kick out of her when above 250cc

Cons: Early models has starter problems. Cornering can be tricky if your taller than average

Note: The writer of this review earned $15, and so can you. Details about writing a review here.

Price Range: $700-$1,500 (Depends on year of bike)

In 1981, the Yamaha Virago was introduced to the world. It graced the headlines of biker magazines and newspapers when journalists grappled to see the first ever V-Twin motorcycle produced by a Japanese company. The bike is a cruiser style motorcycle, which were and still are extremely popular among bikers.

The bike has a slung back design with handlebars right up on the tank and the seat curving downwards right behind that grumbling engine. This gives the rider a laid back look with legs slightly bent, knees up by the gas tank. Viragos come in almost any colour depending on what production year you go for. Popular choices include black, red and turquoise. The Virago is deserving of strong, bold colors that make it stand out from the other cruisers of the era. Chrome only ads to the effect, with many featuring a double-barrel exhaust pipe and a shiny pair of headlights.

The engine too, is also a glistening dream to look at and hear. Initial models were only made with a 750cc engine. However when Harley Davidson pushed for tariffs on any imported bikes over 700cc, Yamaha dropped the engine capacity to 699cc. The fact that the Virago was making Harley-Davidson, the most famous motorcycle producer in the world, worry, is a testament to the Viragos appeal and success throughout the years. Nowadays, viragos can be found in almost any engine size from 125cc right up to 1100cc. However I’d suggest starting off with something on the bigger side of 250cc to really get that grumble from the V-Twin, not to mention the lack of power the 125cc has if your in anyway offensive to a set of weighing scales or in windy conditions.

The riding experience on a Virago is exceptional, especially one from the late 80s early 90s (anything before ’85 and you may have starter problems). It’s comfortable over long journeys especially for a pillion passenger with that great sissy bar to lean back on. Turning is good so long as your under 6’2”. One final thing that I’d like to add about the Virago is that she’s a great workhorse (the word Virago literally means warrior – they got that right!). I’ve put carrier bags loaded with tonnes of stuff and she just gobbled up the road in front like they weren’t even there.

All things considered this is a great bike especially for learners looking to take that first step into motorcycling. Parts are easy to find on the rare occasion anything goes wrong with her. Viragos are also easily customizable with dozens of websites and companies selling aftermarket lights, mirrors, seats and tanks. The final bike to roll of the production line carrying the Virago name was the 250cc 2007 model. However, fear not! The model was simply renamed V-Star for the 2008 onwards production.

The opinions and observations stated  are solely of the writer of this article. Seattle-Motorcycles.com makes no warranty as to its accuracy; if you’re interested in a Yamaha Virago you should do your own research before buying.

Rider Review: 2004 Honda Shadow 600

Pros – Looks great and has good power

Cons – Cornering at high speeds and too big to squeeze in and out of dense traffic

Note: The writer of this review earned $15, and so can you. Details about writing a review here.

The Honda Shadow was first introduced in 1983 and was available across the US and Canada from then on and continues in production today. The bike is a cruiser with a leaning seating position with your feet pushed out towards the front end.

From its entry to the market the signature colors have been black or a candy red with different variants creeping in every once and a while. The speedometer and indicator lights are located on top of the tank which means the rider is exposed to the wind more so than other bikes. However, this is an interesting feature and Honda has made it look good by putting stylish chrome strips under these lights and gauges. One problem with this has been scratching from the keys in the ignition but once you only keep a modest amount of keys on your set you should be okay.

All engines fitted to Shadows are V-Twins with sizes ranging from a lean 125cc up to a grumbling 1100cc. However, all of these engine sizes offer a fair amount of torque on the Shadow and you should have no problem pulling away from a set of lights even on the 125cc version. The engines come fully chromed on some models with a great big exhaust stretching right along the chassis to the back tire in a straight line parallel with the ground.

Riding the shadow is a good experience. Cornering at high speeds takes a bit of getting used to because of the stretched out position but other than that she rides like a dream. The engine gets you where you want to go every time without so much as a flinch and the seat and sissy bar for the passenger are really comfortable.

Overall, the Shadow is a good bike. I wouldn’t recommend it for daily commuting because of its size and indeed the noise over 700cc but as a motorcycle it’s a lot of fun and well worth the buy for weekends and evening cruises around the countryside.

The opinions and observations stated  are solely of the writer of this article. Seattle-Motorcycles.com makes no warranty as to its accuracy; if you’re interested in a Honda Shadow you should do your own research before buying.

“I have got a V-65 1100 up for sale at an unbeatable price…been well taken care of and has an after market supertrap pipes.sounds and runs excellent..the price is $3,000 to sell quik…no low ballers and first with the cash can have it…”

I love a V65 Magna from the 1980s. And it’s probably a terrific motorcycle he has for sale here… but the price ain’t exactly as low as he thinks it is, and I doubt it will really “sell quik” [sic]. To prove my point, here’s a screen capture of the most recent completed sales of Honda V65 Magnas from eBay, and his price of three grand, is, contrary to his argument, indeed quite beatable (-click the image to see in full size-):

I’m not saying this bike can’t be worth $3,000 – it very well could be, I haven’t seen it. A ‘quik’ sale would be at a $2,400 price point, in my opinion. But his desired price isn’t in the neighborhood of unbeatable. But since he says “no lowballers” I guess you shouldn’t check the bike out unless you have three large, end of story. He’ll have to sell it to someone who doesn’t want to do any research on the bike’s selling history.

**UPDATE, 4/16/09: The seller has reconsidered his price, it’s now $2,800.

>>Click Here<< to contact the seller of this 80’s-vintage Honda V65 Magna. If the bike’s image at the top of this posting is gone, or the craigslist ad is no longer there, the bike may no longer be for sale. And I’m sure there are more V65 Magnas for sale here:

90% of Honda street bikes for 2009 are over-the-fucking-top plastic chrome croozers. I swear to God, I can’t tell a 21st century V-Star from a Boulevard from a Shadow from a Vulcan. Seriously, will some metric manufacturer get a spine and make something that looks different from all the others? Sheesh. Triumph and Buell are looking better year by year.

Honda croozers: four choices, essentially: a Rebel 250, a 750 Shadow, a 1300VTX monstrosity, and an 1800 VTX it-better-not-fall-over-or-there-it-will-sit-forever 800 pound behemouth. Hell, the Rebel will run you four thousand dollars in 2009. I got my CM250 Custom in 1984 as a junior in high school, think it cost about a grand out the door.

But the real reason I decided to write this post is to get an answer:

What The Fuck Is This?

From Honda’s website:

“It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen on two wheels. And for good reason: no other motorcycle maker is as stupid as Honda to torpedo a few million in its R&D.” [italics mine]

This shark-nosed bubble-fest scooter with big tires is the Honda DN-01. They call it a ‘Crossover’. Apparently, when you ‘cross over’ from a sane person capable of chewing your own food to an openly drooling buffoon with fifteen grand burning a hole in your pocket, this is the bike for you.

Engine size: 650cc. Hell, the seat is bigger than its engine. Probably as exciting.

Its speedo cluster is as big as a Buick’s.

Styling: part scooter (top half is all Silver Wing scooter, no?) part ST1300 (at the nose).

Oh, and it’s an Automatic. Yeah, because so many of us were thinking during our last two wheeled jaunt, “I really love the experience of motorcycling, but this pesky shifting is really crampin’ my style. If only I had kept that Honda CM400 automatic from 1981.”

No. No one says that. Ever. Don’t want to shift? Let me show you the scooter section. Pick out a lovely toothpaste-colored Vino or something. When you locate your testicles (or Virtual Testicles for the women), we’ll sell you a real motorcycle (*cough*Aprilia*cough*.)

The price of this DN-01? Oh, that’s the best part: $15,599. That’s more than half of the way to sixteen thousand dollars. It is four hundred dollars less than the ST1300 sport tourer.

I found this ‘motorcycle’ on Honda’s website when I briefly entertained the idea of walking my fat butt over to the dealership to see what’s up and consider a new bike this year. Hell, I have a good job finally, and the credit card debt is nearly all paid off. No better time to incur more debt than in the midst of a RECESSION. I live dangerously.

What’s my favorite bike from Honda for 2009? The XR650L at $6499. Which is nine hundred dollars more than Kawasaki’s KLR650 and eight hundred more than Suzuki’s ho hum DR650SE. I guess Yamaha is pretty much giving up all but the croozers category, and the R-1 and R-6. That’s Yamaha in the 21st Century. Four bikes.

Try a different seller: Red Label Mot

What makes them stand out is the absolutely exhaustive descriptions and history of every bike they sell. Here’s a snippet from an Aprilia Futura they currently have:

“This bike has never tipped over, crashed or been damaged in any way. Unless you count the scuffs on the saddlebags as “damage”, which I will cover later. Always parked indoors and very well taken care of, this is a clean Aprilia sport-tourer.”

The seem to specialize in exotic, high quality, even vintage cycles. They may command a premium price, but you get what you pay for. Didn’t know that Laverdas still made motorcycles? Just recently, they’re selling a Laverda Ghost Strike.

Enjoy browsing their inventory. They’re located on Capitol Hill in Seattle if you want a closer look at that “I’ve never seen that bike before” bike.